This flavorful one pot meal features basmati rice, chicken, and dried cranberries simmered in a slightly spicy curry and coconut milk mixture.
Curry is one of my very favorite flavors, and this Skillet Curried Chicken and Rice is my go-to dish when I want to serve a quick and easy curry recipe that the whole family enjoys.
While my three boys also love curry, my husband usually does not, so I love dishes like this that have enough curry flavor to satisfy my cravings, but not so much curry flavor that my husband won’t enjoy it.
There are a few ingredients that make this chicken and rice really stand out, including coconut milk, dried cranberries, fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro.
I just love how everything comes together into one flavorful, savory dish that’s bursting with unique South Asian flavors.
I also love that this dish is ready in about 45 minutes and I only have to dirty a few pots and pans to get dinner on the table.
There really aren’t a lot of elements to this dish, but everything adds to the overall sweet and savory flavor that makes this dish so delicious.
And of course, there’s plenty of room for improvising! You can use dried cherries or golden raisins instead of cranberries.
Not to mention, the possibilities for creating a vegetarian version by adding all kind of fresh vegetables are endless. Some of my favorite additions are peas and finely diced carrots.
This curry dish also freezes well and makes for great leftovers, if you’re lucky enough to have any!
Anytime I find a curry recipe that my whole family loves, it automatically goes into my regular dinner rotation, and this Skillet Curried Chicken and Rice is an all-time favorite at my house!
Be sure to save this Skillet Curried Chicken and Rice recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Skillet Curried Chicken and Rice
- Olive oil
- Produce: fresh ginger, shallots, limes, cilantro
- Spices: curry powder, cardamom, salt and pepper
- Chicken
- Basmati rice
- Coconut milk
- Chicken broth
- Dried cranberries
Skillet Curried Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 shallot diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of oil, ginger, curry powder, cardamom, and salt and pepper to form a paste. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the paste to a large sauce pan.
- Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to coat with the remaining paste. Set aside while you cook the rice.
- In a large glass measuring cup, combine the chicken broth and coconut milk. Add the rice plus 1 3/4 cups of the broth/milk mixture to the past in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low until the rice is tender but still firm, about 10-12 minutes. Remove rice from heat and fluff with a fork.
- In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of the remaining broth/coconut milk mixture. Cook and stir until the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Add the rice to the skillet with the chicken, along with the remaining 1/2 cup of broth/coconut milk and the dried cranberries. Cook without stirring over medium-high heat until the rice starts to brown and turn crispy on the bottom.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Reseason with more salt and pepper, if needed.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from Milk Street: Tuesday Nights
